John Holmes's blog

How many players could anchor ban affect?

chart of long putter usage on pga tour
Charlie Kautz via Twitter
Charlie Kautz of TaylorMade put together this chart of long putter use on the PGA Tour this year, before the anchor ban was announced.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

The USGA and R&A&'s ban on anchored putting strokes has certainly garnered its share of attention for the past few months. But this whole time, I've been wondering exactly how many players would be affected.


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'Signature prank' bag up for auction

Nate Smith autographed golf bag
eBay
A total of 68 PGA Tour players at the Wells Fargo Championship signed Nate Smith's golf bag.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Remember earlier this month, when PGA Tour player James Hahn played a prank on his buddy, Nate Smith?

Smith Monday-qualified for the Wells Fargo Championship, and Odyssey Golf flew in a brand-new bag for him. Hahn got hold of the bag first, though, and hung a sign on it in the Quail Hollow locker room asking other players to sign the bag "for charity auction."

More than 60 PGA Tour players dutifully signed it. And Smith, having no other choice, played the Wells Fargo with the uniquely decorated bag -- to the chuckles of his buddy, Hahn.


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Players getting legal advice on anchor ban, says Tim Clark

Tim Clark
Getty Images
Tim Clark switched to a long putter in college because of a congenital problem with his arms.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

PGA Tour player Tim Clark says "a fair number" of players, including him, are getting legal advice over the ban on anchored putting strokes.

"We do have legal counsel,” said Clark at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. "We're going to explore our options. We're not going to just roll over and accept this."


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Oklahoma schools playing with heavy hearts after deadly tornado

University of Oklahoma women's golf team
NCAA.com
The Oklahoma-Oklahoma State rivalry is muted this week as both schools are playing for their home state after a deadly tornado struck suburban Oklahoma State on Monday.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Anytime the women's golf teams from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State find themselves in the same place, the competition gets pretty heated. That even includes the NCAA Division I finals in Athens, Ga., where both teams are playing this week.

This week, however, the rivalry is muted – and both squads are pulling together to play their best for their home state, which is reeling in the wake of the deadly tornado that struck Moore, just south of Oklahoma City, on Monday.


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Jason Day plays 1-iron in advance of British Open

Jason Day with his 1-iron
Courtesy of TaylorMade
Jason Day is working with a specially made TaylorMade RocketBladez 1-iron to see if he wants to use it to combat the windy conditions he antcipates at the British Open this summer.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Players at the highest level of golf often try out special pieces of equipment in advance of specific tournaments. Jason Day used the HP Byron Nelson Championship to test-drive a 1-iron to see if he might want to use it at the British Open.

That's right, a 1-iron.


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On the pole at Indy: Fuzzy Zoeller

Ed Carpenter at the Indianapolis 500
Getty Images
Ed Carpenter won the pole for the Indianapolis 500 driving a car sponsored by Fuzzy Zoeller.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

So after the Byron Nelson finished up Saturday evening, I was flipping channels and stopped when I got to the shootout for the pole at the Indianapolis 500.

What caught my eye? The graphic that showed Ed Carpenter on top with just a few minutes to go in the final qualifying session. 

And what's so special about Carpenter? As you can see in the photo above, his car is sponsored by Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka – which, of course, is owned by Fuzzy Zoeller.


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College golf's longest winning streak ends

Mary Hardin-Baylor women's golf team
Mary Hardin Baylor won the women's Division III golf national championship, and in doing so broke up one of the most historic streaks in all of college sports.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

College golf is flying a bit under the radar right now, but this week has been one for the record books.

Earlier today, Lynn University rallied to overtake its Sunshine State Conference archrival Nova Southeastern and win the women's NCAA Division II title for the first time since 1997.


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The 'Adam Scott Effect' is under way in Australia

Adam Scott at the Masters
Getty Images
Adam Scott, by winning the Masters, has inspired his fellow golfers back home in Australia.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

The United States isn't the only place where golf is growing right now. The game is also on the rise in Australia, which is home to golf's newest major champion, Adam Scott.

The latest report from the Australian Golf Industry Council, issued earlier today, indicated that April delivered the highest number of competition rounds played in any month over the entire financial year to date (July through June), while total rounds growth over the April 2012 period was just less than 1 percent.


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Nike Golf TW '14 shoes modified for power and flexibility

Nike Golf TW'14 golf shoes
Courtesy of Nike Golf
The new Nike Golf TW'14 shoes were designed with testing by and input from Woods himself.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Nike Golf's timing could hardly be better, as the company revealed the details of the latest edition of its Tiger Woods golf shoes the day after Woods won The Players Championship while wearing the shoes in competition for the very first time.

The TW '14 shoes, like those that preceded them, were designed with testing by and input from Woods himself. The result, Nike says, is a shoe that further enhances the fit, feel and function of the TW '13 model.


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Less golf for Tony Romo this year?

Tony Romo
Getty Images
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has been missing from several of his usual offseason golf outings this year.
By John Holmes
PGA.com

Series: Golf Buzz

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo appears to be cutting down on his links time this offseason.

Romo, long known as one of the best celebrity golfers out there, played with Tiger Woods in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February, but apparently is sitting out a lot of his other usual offseason outings. The reason seems to be related to the six-year, $108 million contract he signed at the end of March, making him the highest-paid player in Cowboys history.


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